What is Magellan Luxury Hotels
Magellan Luxury Hotels is essentially a members-only luxury hotel booking concierge. They curate their pick of the best top luxury hotels in a handful of locations (mostly American locations, but also London and Paris). This is already helpful because it narrows down the overwhelming selection in any given city to only the handpicked best of hotel stays. Their list includes world-class brands and independent establishments, all offering unadvertised insider-only rates to Magellan guests. What you won’t find are cheap hotels—this club is for four- and five-star accommodations only.
I’ve always used websites like Tablet Hotels and Mr. & Mrs. Smith to shrink the sea of options down to the best. However, I don’t often book through those websites because I can almost always get a better deal somewhere else. And that’s the key differentiator with Magellan Luxury Hotels—much of the time they can actually offer a lower rate.
How can Magellan offer Lower rates?
Unlike other travel agencies, Magellan has exclusive partnerships with their selection of hotels. This in turn gives their guests access to special offers. Like discounts to the tune of 60% off published rates. It also gives Magellan travel agents the opportunity to specialise in specific properties. Therefore, they have extensive knowledge of their small, elite selection of partner hotels.
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What’s the catch?
The only catch is that in order to get these discounted rates and pass them along to you and I, Magellan can’t publish the exclusive rates on their website. Otherwise they wouldn’t be unpublished rates. So in order to book, you call and work with one of their super sharp and friendly travel advisors. Or if you’re particularly phone-averse, you can fill out a form on the website to let them know what you’re looking for. Meanwhile, they’ll respond in a matter of hours.
Noteworthy
It’s worth noting that Magellan Luxury Hotels is ultimately a travel agency, which means they can book any hotel for you, even if it’s one that isn’t on their curated list. Sometimes they can still get you a discount at unlisted hotels as well. However, you wouldn’t get the same guaranteed additional perks that you get with listed hotels.
Costs
The Silver Star Membership is free but it still gets you access to the members-only rates. You also get some of the best perks in the travel industry at participating hotels, like a complimentary room upgrade, complimentary daily breakfast, and late checkout. You just pay a $25 booking fee to Magellan Luxury Hotels with each booking you make.
The Gold Star Membership comes with an additional cost of $149/year and then you never pay the $25 booking fee. You also get a dedicated phone line for lower hold times, your own dedicated hotel consultant (VIP much?!), advance notice of sales, and additional premium hotel perks not available to Silver Star members.
When I spoke with Jordan at Magellan Luxury Hotels, he assured me that most Gold Star guests recoup the value of the membership fee with their first booking. He was also very happy to chat about general inquiries and individual needs, lending credence to the claim that one of the best things about booking through Magellan Luxury Hotels is their personalised service.
Benefits
With either level of Magellan Luxury Hotels membership, you get:
- Freedom from having to spend hours doing your own research, since Magellan has already handpicked the best of the best hotels in your destination
- Preferred unpublished rates only for Magellan members
- Hotel recommendations personalised for your specific needs
- Magellan’s unique post-booking rate protection, which automatically checks for lower rates and rebooks you if one becomes available
With that, let’s get down to what matters the most: the hotels. I’ve handpicked the five most exciting Magellan Luxury Hotels partners in four of their signature locations. (Top five rankings were based on ratings by discerning Tablet Hotels guests. The featured hotel for each selection is my personal pick.)
There’s a full writeup on my top choice for each destination and a concise list of three reasons to book for the other four choices. Wherever you stay, you can make it luxe from the moment you arrive by booking a private car and driver through Holiday Taxis to handle your airport transfer.
Top 5 Magellan Luxury Hotels in New York
Featured: Equinox Hotel New York City
I would book here for the bedrooms’ cream velvet walls alone. But there are so many other reasons. The uncompromising yet unstuffy approach to luxury not least among them. At hotels of this calibre, you want to be surrounded with beauty. You want every creature comfort and top-notch service. But it’s a drag feeling so buttoned-up that you can’t breathe easy. Which is why Equinox brands itself as a five-star hotel “for those who seek a more relaxed approach to luxury.” One please!
LOCATION
It’s arguable that Hudson Yards is the best location in Manhattan. You’re in walking distance of the river, sandwiched neatly between Midtown West and Chelsea. Your neighbours include The Shed, New York’s new build theatre specialising in innovative work. And you’re directly across the street from 34 St-Hudson Yards metro station, where the 7 train can whisk you away to Times Square in a matter of minutes. Staying just on the edge of the epicentre of the action like this always upgrades my travel experience.
Style
The front desk looks like a modern cubist sculpture surrounded by wheat fields, setting the tone for the combination of stark modern design and natural textures you’ll notice throughout your stay. Bedrooms are designed to optimise your performance by treating sleep as sacred. Every room is totally sound-proofed and equipped with top-shelf blackout blinds. The beds are dressed in temperature-regulating linens and mattresses made with natural fibres. They even have sleep coaches on site.
Triple showerheads and integrated room technology controlled by an ipad are standard features. So are clinical grade filtered air, filtered water, and custom Grown Alchemist bath products made using herbs that were grown right beneath your room in High Line Park. And in case you were wondering—yes, this is same Equinox with a network of ultra-luxury gyms. There’s one on-site.
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Here are four more of the best Magellan Luxury Hotels in New York City:
Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s New York
Why book it?
- Sherbet-coloured French Art Deco interiors that scream Ladies’ Weekend
- Custom Toile de Jouy wallpaper
- Sumptuous private cinema with chaise longue seating
Conrad New York Downtown
Why book it?
- An all-suite establishment with just the sort of sleek design you’d expect from a modern NYC hotel
- The rooftop bar has views of the Statue of Liberty
- Byredo bath amenities
The Beekman – A Thompson Hotel
Why book it?
- Located inside of an 1881 vintage skyscraper
- Being here feels like stepping back in time to Old World New York
- Tom Colicchio’s Temple Court restaurant
The Mark Hotel
Why book it?
- Feels like staying in an art museum
- Posh Upper East Side address
- Timelessly elegant interiors by designer Jacques Grange
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Top 5 Magellan Luxury Hotels in London
Featured: The Langham, London
This grand dame of a Marylebone hotel is inside of a stunning architectural gem and The Palm Court restaurant that belongs to it has some of the best afternoon tea in London. Which is saying something, given London is the capitol not just of Britain but also of high tea. When the Langham originally opened in 1865, its opulence was unparalleled in Europe. And it was the first hotel to serve the then-nouveau meal of afternoon tea that originated some 25 years before in the homes of the British aristocracy.
Today, the hotel staff are some of the most discreet and anticipatory in a city known for discreet and anticipatory service. The traditional interiors include finishes fit for royalty and the West End is right on the doorstep, making this the perfect home base for theatre-goers with a taste for history and elegance.
All the rooms have large marble baths, Nespresso machines, and media hubs that connect your laptop to the TV. But the junior suites are where things start to get really good, with a lounge area and separate tub and shower. Don’t miss the former-bank-vault turned zen swimming pool in the basement.
Here are four more of the best Magellan Luxury Hotels in London:
Rosewood London
Why book it?
- Plush interiors by Tony Chi that artfully blend elegance with avant-garde
- Located inside an Edwardian Belle Époque monument
- If you’re going for the splurge of a lifetime, the Grand Manor wing has three living rooms, six bedrooms, and its very own post code
The Savoy
Why book it?
- London’s original luxury hotel, formerly managed by César Ritz
- Not one but two Gordon Ramsay restaurants on-site, one with a Michelin star
- Old world opulence at its absolute best
ME London
Why book it?
- Iconic Covent Garden location on Aldwych Crescent, The Strand
- Housed in a new and dramatically designed modern architectural masterpiece by Foster + Partners
- Rooms have Chromecast, Balinese showers, and Egyptian cotton sheets
The London EDITION
Why book it?
- Era-blending interiors by Yabu Pushelberg have a serious wow factor in ways both subtle and bold
- Located in a row of Georgian-era townhouses in Fitzrovia (where modern glamour meets bohemian history)
- Cabin-like rooms inspired by a private yacht with walnut-panelled walls, custom furnishings, and custom signature-scented Le Labo bath amenities
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Top 5 Magellan Luxury Hotels in Hawaii
Featured: Andaz Maui at Wailea
Hawaii’s hotel selection has historically landed well behind its natural beauty on the wow scale. So a resort by Hyatt’s Andaz brand, known for high-end design, is a welcome addition. And don’t imagine that just because a behemoth like Hyatt is involved, this property is sterile or mass-produced feeling. It’s the antithesis of those sorts of cookie-cutter all-inclusive resorts. And sometimes trusting your travel experience to a leading global hospitality company is a good thing.
A statement piece among Andaz properties, the Wailea outpost is big, beautiful, and flush with natural materials like gnarled driftwood and rough-hewn stone. The outdoor spaces are a playground of multi-tiered infinity pools, fire pits, and sculptures. And the resort is set on 15 acres of Mokapu beachfront, opening up a whole world of water sports and ocean activities.
At the top end of the accommodation choices are villas with multiple bedrooms, Ambrato marble floors, and private plunge pools. But even the quietly luxurious entry-level rooms have at least 380 square feet, a Nespresso machine, and a private lanai.
On site, there’s fresh, seasonal food at seven different dining experiences, lei-making, hula lessons, and an apothecary-inspired spa with private outdoor cabanas.
Here are four more of the best Magellan Luxury Hotels in Hawaii:
Halekulani
Why book it?
- The location is perfect for those who want to be right in the middle of the action in Honolulu but still have a relatively uncrowded private beach
- Diamond Head views
- Large rooms (419 square feet and up) with deep soaking tubs and private balconies as standard amenities
The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua
Why book it?
- The remote location on Maui’s northwestern coast is perfect for those who want to get away from it all
- Club rooms have feather beds outfitted with Frette linens and 24-hour concierge service
- There are three on-site golf courses, and the concierge can arrange scuba diving, luaus, or ziplining, among other activities
Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection
Why book it?
- Newly built bungalows with private pools and generous outdoor spaces
- Contemporary castaway vibe with fibre art installations and beautifully textured natural materials
- Stunning location where lava flows meet the beach on the Big Island’s Kohala Coast
The Kahala Hotel & Resort
Why book it?
- Grand old-fashioned opulence
- A blissfully quiet beach in Honolulu (turns out that’s not an oxymoron!)
- An on-site lagoon that’s home to a resident family of dolphins
Top 5 Magellan Luxury Hotels in Paris
Featured: Hôtel Barrière Fouquet’s Paris
I’m in love with the eggplant tufted velvet bar, especially given it’s paired with rich burgundy carpet, teal silk upholstery, and a pearly domed ceiling painted with flowering vines. Did I mention the walls are lined with books? That’s right—a fantasy library bar. There’s also a hydrotherapy pool and a terrace with Arc de Triomphe views.
The Exception Suites were designed to serve as your very own luxury Parisienne apartment. Meanwhile, they have wall-panelling so ornate they appear to have been plucked straight out of Versailles and set down on the Champs-Elysées. It all feels like living in a 21st-century palace. And if you’re meeting a special someone, there’s no more perfect place for a romantic rendez-vous.
Even the standard room category offers a generous 37 square metres done by Jacques Garcia in tasteful beiges and golds. The lights and temperature are controlled by a digital tablet and the bathrooms have a separate tub and shower.
Here are four more of the best Magellan Luxury Hotels in Paris:
Le Bristol Paris
Why book it?
- Decadent 18th-century style (lush fabrics, glittering chandeliers, and gleaming marble floors)
- There’s a swimming pool (not all that common in Paris)
- A 3,765-square-foot Penthouse that has hosted Prince and Marilyn Monroe
L’Hôtel Fauchon
Why book it?
- The striking decor includes graphic prints, pink velvet, and gold accents with dark herringbone hardwood floors
- There’s not only room service but also Chef Service—dishes prepared in-room for your viewing pleasure
- Before they became hoteliers, Fauchon were already a luxury food store, and the stocked minibar in your room can prove it.
Hôtel Vernet
Why book it?
- The pitch-perfect blend of historical splendour and fashion-forward design
- Impossibly beautiful bathrooms that combine bold black and white stripes with gentile silver marble, vessel sinks, and gold hardware, even in the entry-level Superior Rooms. The Prestige Rooms are where the bathrooms really start to shine, though, by adding pearl mosaic tubs and double sinks.
- V restaurant, helmed by Chef Baldassare Mazzara and topped by a Gustave Eiffel-designed glass roof
Hôtel de Sers
Why book it?
- It’s a four-storey mansion commissioned by the Marquis de Sers in 1880
- The bedrooms have Poltrona Frau furniture, Missoni fabrics, and Bang & Olufsen flat-screen TVs
- Claw-foot tubs with Eiffel Tower views in the Panoramic Suites
Want to see more of the most fabulous hotels on the planet? I’ve got you covered. Check them out here!
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